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winter_rules
Dodge Dakota
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5/27/2004
22:13:01
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 Subject: Looking at a 1998 5.2 Dakota
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I'm looking at a 1998 Dakota Club Cab with a 5-speed 5.2 in it. It has 75,000 miles on it and is in excellent shape. It is loaded with all kinds of little things (the guy "specially" ordered it from the factory). The biggest thing is probably the heavy duty towing stuff (engine and tranny coolers). How is this truck on gas? How long can the engine go? I'm in college and would like to have a reliable vehicle at least until I graduate (3 years from now). I would love to hear any opinions (good or bad) about this truck! Any idea what it's worth (upstate NY)? Thanks a lot!
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Kevin
Dodge Dakota
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5/27/2004
22:32:00
| RE: Looking at a 1998 5.2 Dakota
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Check NADA for value. Also look at Kelly Blue Book as well, although it tends to be a little high IMO.
I can only speak for the 5.2. I have a 92, 183k miles on it and still running strong. I do have the auto though and not the manual. It has been a great truck since I got it in 1992. Gas mileage is pretty bad though for city driving, which is all I do these days.
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j-mac
Dodge Dakota
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5/27/2004
22:39:14
| RE: Looking at a 1998 5.2 Dakota
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Winter,
Dakotas are a very reliable truck. Ita about how you take care of it. I recommended a dakota v6 to my sister in law to get her through college She still owns the truck 6 years later. Basic maintinace, as any vehicle.
As far as the tow package. It wont hurt your fuel milage because your not using it.(pulling a trailer)
Mines an auto so your milage estimate will most likely be higher = 18-20 highway & 12-16 in town. It may do better, it depends how you drive. Someone here who has a 5 speed will give you a better depiction of milage.
Good luck.
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accord387
Dodge Dakota
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5/28/2004
14:55:36
| RE: Looking at a 1998 5.2 Dakota
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Those coolers are going to help make it last (Didn't know they had tranny coolers for manual transmissions though, or they didnt for hondas). I'm also looking at gettign a dak cause i just totalled my accord. The 5.2s run forever im noticing, and i havnt seen any complaints on either transmission being junk. I say get it, you're going to go through a lot of gas though.
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BigBear
Dodge Dakota
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5/29/2004
12:55:06
| RE: Looking at a 1998 5.2 Dakota
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I have a '97 5.2L, auto, 4x4. 148K.
You can help your gas mileage by putting in a K&N air filter; also try an injector service. Still, don't expect better than 16mpg or so in city.
Better have a look at the ball joints on that rig - Daks are notorious for ball joint issues, especially around 50-80K. I bought my '97 with 72K (in '99), and had to do them almost immdiately. Costly. I've also done idler arm, Pittman arm, 7-8 alignments...front end is good now, but it took some time and $$$ to get there.
Engine is good, tranny will last if you care for it.
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winter_rules
Dodge Dakota
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5/29/2004
19:38:06
| RE: Looking at a 1998 5.2 Dakota
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Thanks a lot guys! I would be coming from a '97 Grand Prix which gets 30 mpg on anything other than back roads. Honestly, I was expecting a little lower gas mileage than what you all are saying. I drive like a girl, so that might help a little!
BigBear, is there a way to tell by driving the truck if the ball joints need attention? Any idea (roughly) what they cost?
Thanks again!
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accord387
Dodge Dakota
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5/29/2004
21:49:25
| RE: Looking at a 1998 5.2 Dakota
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not sure about how much it'll run you, but my accord just got totalled because the lower ball joint broke :( im tempted to stay away from a dak now hehe
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j-mac
Dodge Dakota
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5/30/2004
00:11:33
| RE: Looking at a 1998 5.2 Dakota
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drive it a listen for a popping noise on turns. I have the 98 dakota with 70,000 miles and i have had no problems. I make sure that all lube points are greased and use a needle adapter for those that are not greasable.
Jack up one of the front tires and check its rotation, lift, and give it a push and pull technique. this will give you a good indication of wear.
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no clue
Dodge Dakota
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5/31/2004
04:07:07
| RE: Looking at a 1998 5.2 Dakota
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my speedometer and odometer on my 97 stopped working at 196'000. that was over a year ago. I'm guessing 240'000 now. No drive line problems, but burned up a water pump at 168'000 and front brakes at 96'000. still on the original 10 inch rear drums thou.
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cloudboy
Dodge Dakota
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5/31/2004
11:13:57
| RE: Looking at a 1998 5.2 Dakota
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How do you tell if it has the full towing package or just a hitch? I am looking at a '97 5.2 (4x4) auto - it has a hitch, but I don't know about the towing package. And how do I figure out what the axle ratio is on that model?
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winter_rules
Dodge Dakota
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6/02/2004
19:56:33
| RE: Looking at a 1998 5.2 Dakota
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Well, I'm not one to say this type of thing, but I feel I should warn others. Do not deal with Scoville-Meno in Sidney, NY. If you do decide to, be careful. They just flat-out sold the truck out from under me. Needless to say, I'm not very happy about it.
Cloudboy, I don't know how to tell. The truck that I WAS looking at had the original sticker (the one that goes in the window when it sits on the lot brand new) still with the vehicle.
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99Dak5.2L4x4
Dodge Dakota
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6/04/2004
09:59:39
| RE: Looking at a 1998 5.2 Dakota
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I've had my 99 Dak since it was new and here's pretty much all my problems. I've got 112,000 miles now.
Gas milage is 10-11 in the city 13-14 on HWY at best but I'm running 32x11.5x15 with a 3 inch body lift. I also have K&N. In all city I get about 215 miles to a tank before the light goes on. All freeway I'm lucky to get 270 to a tank. Even when my truck was new I at best got 16 on the highway with the 31 inch tires and 3:55 gears.
I live in Austin, TX and this trucks hard to keep cooler than 210 degrees in traffic so the A.C. doesn't stay real cold in traffic.
I've replaced my battery 3 times, 2 water pumps, 3 sets of ball joints until I installed the Moog joints with greese fitting about 2 years ago and those work like a charm. I've had to replace the headlight switch about 4 times now ($60 bucks a pop).
The worst thing about this truck is the brakes. I've gone through at least 10 sets of rotors and pads. I mean the rotors warp about every 5k - 8k miles and I've tried all the different brands. The other terrible thing about this truck is that the engine pings and I've tried all the dumb ideas on this board and spent at least $500 bucks and it still pings so I have to run super unleaded which sucks and at todays gas prices it costs me about $35 a tank. That's about twice a week.
Towing is pretty good with my 318 and 4x4. I haven't had any engine repairs other than listed above and I've had no tranny repairs. I do change oil every 3-4k miles and I've changed the tranny fluid twice now. Paint and interior has worn very well. I think I've worn out the rear axel because it's starting to make some funky noises when I tow even though I've replaced the differential fluid front and rear twice.
All and all it's been a pretty good little truck. I've put well over 50,000 miles on my truck towing a horse trailer or my boat. I wish I would have waited till 2000 and got the 4-door quad cab and the 4.7 liter engine.
Personally, I'm never going to buy a dodge again. I'll either buy a ford diesal dually, a chevy truck, or a Toyota for quality. Toyotas coming out with this new hybrid auto/battery powered SUV next year and it's suppose to get 35mpg. 270 Horse power and it can tow up to 3500 lbs...so I may way to see what it's all about.
Anyhow, take my info for what it's worth but I wouldn't pay more than $6,000 for a used 98 Dak. I've cruised ebay several times and have found our trucks going for cheaper than that.
Bill
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Dakota_daze
Dodge Dakota
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6/04/2004
11:04:53
| RE: Looking at a 1998 5.2 Dakota
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The factory towing package came with a large round electrical hookup to the left of the hitch. It has a adapter plug that goes in to convert it to the flat rectangle shaped trailer plug. Larger alternator, Large relay in the electrical fuse box, transmission cooler.
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